Towards a world-class cricket academy

THE EDITOR: A study carried out by researchers SMG Insight has revealed that the hosting of the preliminary and play-off matches of the Caribbean Premier League has brought US$23.6 million to TT of which the Brian Lara Cricket Academy has contributed in no insignificant measure.

This fact serves, once and for all, to demonstrate to those detractors in and outside of Parliament – in particular the honourable MP for Princes Town and the honourable MP for Naparima amongst others who sought to do everything in their power to ensure that the investment of the tax payers ought to have been allowed to languish into perpetuity – that social and cultural capital can indeed make a substantial contribution to the economy of TT and remains a foremost pillar in the ongoing conversation on diversification. It is instructive to note and to recall, that the 2013 edition of the CPL generated all of US $12.85 million for the economy.

This unimaginative posturing of parliamentary representatives – national leaders – in particular, is no less than disingenuous, particularly when one considers the very content of page eight of their own 2015 Election Manifesto.

Possibly, though in my respectful estimation hardly likely, considering the above facts, we can now witness a progressive discussion on the imperatives of a cricket academy, what it means to be world class, and the genius of Brian Lara. With this, we ought to proceed to determine the implications for social capital development, sport tourism and human excellence in the diversification thrust going forward.

David Mowlah-Baksh, The Union Park Development Committee

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"Towards a world-class cricket academy"

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